380: Learning to Identify Human Trafficking in the South Pacific

Lavinia Taumoepeau joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they trace how three young women who left Tonga for what they thought was a new life in China, and walked into marriages they never agreed to, became a viral video, then a police investigation, then a week of trafficking policy meetings across an entire country.

Lavinia Taumoepeau

Lavinia Taumoepeau has served as Political Assistant in the POL/ECON section at the U.S. Embassy in Nukuʻalofa since February 2025, researching Tongan domestic politics and supporting embassy engagement with local authorities and NGOs. She writes the embassy’s congressional reporting on trafficking in persons, and served as control officer for this visit. Before the embassy, she spent nearly two years as Tonga’s first Safety and Protection Cluster Coordinator at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, building the standard operating procedures for disaster cluster response and managing $300,000 in international recovery funding. She holds a master’s degree in international emergency and disaster management from Georgetown University, and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah in political science and international studies. She is a U.S. Fulbright Alumni Ambassador, has trained with UN Women and UNITAR on gender and disaster response across the Pacific, and contributed research for a Parliament for Women report through the Office of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.

Key Points

Framing a case as a transnational marriage dispute instead of trafficking moves the blame onto the women. In Tonga it produced open victim-blaming until people learned the legal definition.
Run the action-means-purpose test before arguing about labels. Recruiting and obtaining the women was the action, fraud about a new life and money sent home was the means, and servile marriage was the purpose.
A relative’s social media post can do what official channels do not. An aunt went online asking for help, and the video broke a silence that had held for years, pulling in the embassy, the State Department and the police.
Prevention training belongs with migrant workers before they travel. Tongans work abroad in large numbers, and the diaspora is the practical safety net in countries where few Tongans are around to help.
An investigation stalls where the law is narrower than the facts. Tonga’s case is still open partly because what was identified as trafficking has to be matched to policy and legislation that still has gaps.
Brief journalists on how to cover a case without interviewing survivors. Tonga’s reporters shifted to the people who assisted, which let the coverage create no harm while still moving public understanding.
Ask who is missing from the table. That one prompt in the first policy roundtable sent the technical working group looking for stakeholders it had not yet connected with.
A national action plan does not fund itself. Until each ministry writes trafficking into its own annual plan it stays an afterthought, and referral pathways stay unclear to everyone outside the technical working group.

Resources

Transcript

[00:00:00] Lavinia Taumoepeau: With the messaging that came out that it was a transnational marriage dispute, it made some of the folks that hear it initially think that it was just some type of a marriage decision gone wrong and the victims deserved it, and then also a lot of them were victim-blaming, not understanding that they were actually coerced into getting out to China and then having this happen to them.

[00:00:31] Elisha: Three young women left Tonga for what they thought was a new life in China. What they walked into was a marriage they never agreed to. Their case sparked a viral video, then a police investigation, then a week-long policy push across an entire country. This week, we’re looking at how Tonga is learning to spot trafficking before it happens again.

Hi, I’m Elisha. I’m a student here at Vanguard University, and I help produce the show. Today, Sandie talks with Lavinia Taumoepeau, a political assistant at the US Embassy in Nukuʻalofa, who works closely with the police, health workers, and counselors during a week of trafficking policy meetings across Tonga.

And now, here’s their conversation.

[00:01:11] Sandie Morgan: I am so happy to be here today with my new friend, Lavinia Taumoepeau from Tonga. And Lavinia, welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast.

[00:01:27] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Thank you so much, Dr. Morgan, for having me on your show.

[00:01:31] Sandie Morgan: It was an absolute surprise when I received an invitation from our US Embassy in Nukuʻalofa, the Kingdom of Tonga, and I was eager to accept because the challenge before us was so exciting. Can you tell us what led up to that invitation?

[00:02:02] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Sure. Thank you so much, Dr. Morgan. So, the events actually leading up to the embassy contacting the offices to try and get you to come out was that there was three girls that were taken overseas to China, with a transnational or some type of marriage dispute, which is how they kind of positioned it in the internet.

But there was a video that went viral. One of the girl’s relatives had gone online on social media, and she actually brought more attention to it because she didn’t feel like the proper action was taken. And so the video kind of went viral and started to spark all these conversations, and that’s when the embassy reached out to the State Department to see if we could get somebody out to talk about trafficking in persons.

[00:03:02] Sandie Morgan: So from what you know about the three young women that from my perspective were bride trafficked to Northern China, what were some of the underlying vulnerabilities that made them more susceptible to the offers?

[00:03:28] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think initially we didn’t really understand what was happening, only that the relative came online and said the niece was offered this opportunity to go to China and change her life. These girls that were actually taken out there together with her niece were offered to marry someone and to be able to send money home.

So they all came from backgrounds, poverty, broken families. The person who actually went viral to bring this issue to light had talked about how her niece did not have her mother or father present in her life, or they had passed away, and she was just looking for something for her family, for she was able to provide.

I guess she had a young son, and at the time she was feeling very vulnerable and not really… She didn’t really have anything going on for her here in Tonga. And I imagine that was the same case with the other two girls.

[00:04:51] Sandie Morgan: Well, when I met with members of the Women and Children Crisis Centre, they felt very strongly that the stories of the women being returned to Tonga matched what we would recognize as trafficking indicators. And it became very clear that identifying victims more quickly and communicating in the culture, in the churches, in the schools, what trafficking was, would be really important for prevention.

And the Tonga police, they did open an investigation. Is that right? They opened an investigation.

[00:05:47] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Yes, and currently, from what I understand, the status of the investigation is ongoing.

[00:05:54] Sandie Morgan: So at the beginning, there was that same sense that people in my world have heard over and over again. Somebody accepted an opportunity that really wasn’t what they thought it was, and it was not legitimate. And so the idea of being able to identify victims requires a lot of community collaboration from victim services, like, for instance, the Women and Children Crisis Centre, where their case manager stepped up and sought out more assistance, and then law enforcement starting to look into the case to determine whether it meets the legal threshold for trafficking.

But when we talk about that, we have to find out where the stakeholders in Tonga are in providing the support for that multidisciplinary response. And so for me personally, being there on the ground and meeting with stakeholders, meeting with the team who are working on the National Action Plan, meeting with law enforcement, what do you think are the most urgent issues to address to begin with there?

[00:07:40] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think overall, and thank you so much again for coming out, ’cause I think it really helped a lot of the locals, including myself and other people, understand what human trafficking really is by definition. I think one of the overarching themes and the repeated sentiment from all of the meetings that we had was that there needs to be earlier detection or identification on what trafficking is or human trafficking is.

So there was a lot of discussion around creating awareness and being able to understand that this is something that involves human rights, and it also is something to be actioned. ‘Cause a lot of them thought that, oh, with the messaging that came out that it was a transnational marriage dispute, it kind of put people…

It kind of made some of the folks that hear it initially think that it was just some type of a marriage decision gone wrong and the victims that actually this happened to, that they thought that they deserved it, and then a lot of them were victim-blaming, not understanding that they were actually coerced into getting out to China and then having this happen to them.

[00:09:27] Sandie Morgan: And it was such a great example of the elements of human trafficking with just the first step in recruiting to, if you look at one of the simple models we often use are the action means purpose. We have one thing from each column, and the action of recruiting and obtaining these young women to go and be brides.

And I always have to go back to earlier episodes where we talked about the son preference and thinking about having a one-child policy and the preference for having boys meant that eventually, a couple of decades later, there weren’t enough brides. So there was a demand for brides, and trafficking in that region increased in what could be called bride trafficking.

And so they were recruited, obtained, and then the means was through fraud. Now, for human trafficking, we talk about force, fraud, or coercion, and they were offered something that was not the dream they thought they were stepping into in a new life with more resources, and especially the opportunity to help their families in poverty.

And then they were kept there through coercive means for the purpose of being used in a marriage, servile marriage. So when we were meeting with the working group there in Tonga with law enforcement, there was a lot of discussion about victim blaming, like you just mentioned, and it was interesting for me to hear how media was responding.

And so the social media posts that you’ve already mentioned, why do you think those were so important to starting this conversation?

[00:12:03] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think the reason why they were so important to get everything started was because nobody was even talking about it. And then previous to this issue, who knew that this was actually going on? Nobody knew that was going on unless it was directly affecting your family.

When the auntie of the girl came online and posted about it, she was genuinely asking for help. She was genuinely wanting to bring this issue to the forefront so that people would understand what was happening here. And I think a lot of us here, especially in Tonga, are just… don’t realize that these things are happening, and it could have been happening for years, but nobody has really talked about it.

For her to bring it to the forefront really had people chiming in on her comments and discussing it and saying, “Thank you for bringing this to light. We would have never known that this was happening. Tonga needs to be a little bit more aware of what’s going on.” And really not understanding what level of protection does Tonga have in cases like this and what is happening in order to prevent this from happening again.

Yeah, these are taboo subjects that really people don’t talk about, and I think in this day and age, especially with the access to social media, it brings a different level of caution that we need to pay more attention to. So there were a lot of discussions around people that were blaming the victims, but there were also a lot of people who felt compassionate that they fell into this actual situation.

And one of the things that actually came across on social media as well is that a lot of the Tongans were like, “If you’re going to fall into some trouble, at least make sure that it’s in the US, New Zealand, or Australia,” ’cause that’s where Tongan people are and you can find help easy. But when you’re going to a country like China where there are limited access to resources, limited Tongans that are around them, then it makes it more difficult to try and rescue or save somebody from a situation like that.

So it really also highlighted how important the diaspora is in taking care of Tongans across the globe.

[00:14:48] Sandie Morgan: I found that really interesting and a new learning experience for me because Tongans take the opportunity to be migrant workers in other areas, and so they need the same kind of prevention training that any traveling itinerant worker would need to make sure that they don’t fall into a trap where they could be forced and coerced into unpaid labor.

I think one of the things about getting it out into the media that really impressed me about your stakeholder plan, Lavi, while I was there, Her Royal Highness came to the law enforcement training, and the law enforcement crew that came was so engaged and so ready to study the issues and begin to develop stronger responses.

And I think that the support from government is a really important aspect of the program that you designed and the US Embassy hosted. And I’m curious which aspect… We talked while I was there about the five Ps, and people on my podcast are used to me talking all the time about prevention and protection and prosecution and partnership and policy.

But where do you think the next step is for Tonga to focus on for really making a difference in the coming year?

[00:16:46] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Well, I think, and thank you for also highlighting that Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess, was at the law enforcement event and discussion. That just proves… speaks to her leadership as the Crown Princess. She really, I think, she genuinely also wants to find the best for her people.

And so her being in that space and listening to the discussions for us was a blessing, and it’s also testament to the type of leadership we can expect from her moving forward. A lot of the things with the police, I was so happy to be there to actually listen to the discussions that were happening.

A lot of them also understand where we’re sitting here in Tonga with the gaps in policy and legislation and what needs to be enhanced in order for them to be able to mobilize, act, and also prosecute. And I think throughout the week, some of the gaps that showed or that came out from these discussions was there needs to be more prevention.

There needs to be more types of initiatives that are actually applied towards different policies in different ministries and sectors. So that they are able to actually use that information to prosecute. And I think that’s one of the reasons why even the threshold of the group or the actual case that they’re dealing with right now and the elements of the case is making the investigation more difficult, and is still ongoing because they’re trying to make sure that what has been identified as human trafficking actually aligns with the way that they have their policies and legislation set up as well.

[00:19:07] Sandie Morgan: Well, and to that point, I want to commend the country because they do have the strategy, the framework. They have established a national action plan, and this was an opportunity to expand that conversation and refine some of the goals, to multiply the awareness campaign efforts and to involve media.

One of my favorite meetings that you arranged, Lavi, was with media, and the timing was perfect because I had just been meeting with the three survivors, with the case managers from the safe house, and my heart was full of compassion and a little righteous anger that we were dealing with this, and it was being turned into victim-blaming.

But I believe because we had Her Royal Highness, because we had conversations with media that resulted in articles and newscasts, that the everyday person in the community is more aware that this happened and now has some interest in finding out more about it, sometimes out of curiosity, but I hope more because they see a place where they can do something.

[00:20:58] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I agree. I was so happy that we were able to have that discussion with media as well, especially in the timing that it happened, because I think one of the things that I noticed after the social media posts and everybody started talking about it is the victim blaming, which, for me, with my background in emergency management and disaster management, one of the things that comes to mind is create no harm. And so I felt like the media discussion and the media session that we had with some of the folks out here was so poignant, and it was also something that they needed, because you were able to provide them with a different way of looking at writing and also presenting facts and information regarding the victims without actually having to go into interviewing the victims, but focusing more on those who helped and then also assisted and possibly looking at that different angle for media, which I think is so very important and is also critical to creating awareness of how to move forward in trying to get human trafficking out there, here in Tonga.

The articles that they wrote really took the information that you shared with them in those sessions and they took it and they amplified it, and it really helped a lot of people to understand that this was really an issue and not to brush it under the rug or to look at it from a different perspective or a different angle.

[00:23:03] Sandie Morgan: Well, I hope that we can keep that conversation alive, and we’ll certainly share this interview with the media there, my new friends in Tonga. And the other area that was especially exciting for me, because people know I do a lot of work in prevention in the schools, meeting with the school counselors.

Tell me what your takeaway was from that session.

[00:23:39] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think with the training of trainers for the school counselor session was something that was so very unique and important as well. I was the control officer for your visit, so I wanted to make sure that the people that you were actually focused on meeting were the people that would actually be able to create some type of programming, some type of training, some type of action plan after you left.

Especially because the technical working group in Tonga has the National Action Plan, and I know that we have had issues with trying to get implementation for the planning out. And so this was just another tool to assist in trying to get the word out and trying to do it in a way that was meaningful and also that didn’t create any harm.

It was sad though, because there were a lot of counselors that expressed how much they needed this training and this session with you. I think another thing that you brought to the sessions is that your background as a reverend was so beautiful because Tonga is a Christian nation, that it took the information that you were actually sharing, and it put it into a way where they would be able to understand it and accept it, out of love and out of also, what can we do to make things better for the kids and to protect the kids here in Tonga?

[00:25:25] Sandie Morgan: Oh, it was my pleasure to be introduced more often in Tonga with that honor and respect as Reverend Doctor, and I want to thank you, Lavi, and your whole team, all the people, because this is an important value for the faith community. We do need to protect our children, to do prevention. And that group of counselors, so many in the break session talked to me about their own children.

And that, for me, was very motivating because I know that they’re not going to just come to a session, take their notes, and put them on a shelf when they get back, but they’re going to keep looking at that, and we want to continue to be a resource. The other group that I spent a lot of time with was the technical working group, and they are the architects of the National Action Plan.

What do you see for the future of that since we had this visit?

[00:26:45] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Well, I love the fact that you were able to meet with the technical working group. I have been in contact with the technical working group because I write the congressional reports for trafficking in persons from the embassy. So this was a really great opportunity to actually see them in action, and it was also an opportunity for them to also… I think you brought it up in one of the very first policy roundtable meetings when you had said, “Take a look around you and see who’s missing from the table.”

Because that really helped them to see what they’re focused on in terms of the National Action Plan, but it also probably helped them to even identify other ways to really get this work moving forward, and then also to identify other stakeholders that they might be able to connect with in order to make things happen.

And so I think that was one thing that I was really grateful for, was actually having the opportunity to not only work closely with the technical working group, but to also see that they were motivated to try and create these connections and also motivated to try and help push this forward so that we can protect Tonga and its kids, and just people in Tonga a little bit better.

[00:28:12] Sandie Morgan: So are there any barriers that remain that you’d like to especially target?

[00:28:19] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think if I were able to put something at the top, it would probably be at the top of the list. It would probably be looking at each individual ministry, how they can take trafficking in persons, work it into their annual plans, which is something that is very much a part of their goals and initiatives within their different ministries, and then also utilizing that to help support the whole national action plan.

I think one of the gals in the policy roundtable talked about that, and then we even were able to talk about it with the nurse or the doctor for public health at Vaiola Hospital when we had a conversation with her. She recognized too that that was missing from their policies, and I think in order for them to be able to put money into trafficking in persons, it has to be written into and something that’s not just an afterthought, but actually planned into their actual initiatives.

[00:29:34] Sandie Morgan: It has to be written into… That’s why policy has to be one of the five Ps. It means we write it in there, and then we have accountability to report on it and to fund it. The different ministries that I engaged with, health, education, also talked to police, law enforcement, government.

I also had the experience on my trip there of flying with members of the World Bank, and I was amazed because I mentioned what I do, and they said that’s one of their policies is to make sure that the construction projects that they were meeting with funders about had policies in place to make sure that workers’ labor was protected on those construction sites.

So the idea that the different ministries are working together on this will be strengthened in the next revision of the National Action Plan, and that brings with it the accountability and the hope for more funds for certain projects. Lavi, I hope I get to come back. If you were able to look into the future just one year, what would success from all the work you did putting this program together, what would it look like?

[00:31:23] Lavinia Taumoepeau: I think one thing that we also recognized was the referral pathways, that there isn’t a real strength or a real strong referral pathways in place. I think the technical working group has more of an idea of what their referral pathways looks like, but for the rest of the community, they don’t have a real understanding on the referral pathways.

So in a year, I would hope that the next time we see you again here in Tonga, that the referral pathways will be in place and that if something like this happens, that they will have no question on where to turn. Like if it’s this, I think health, the doctor that we spoke to at health, she said, “You know, if something comes up and we recognize this, then we go here.

If something happens where it’s this, then we go here.” And so I think to have that in place in a year from now would be, I would know that we’re really moving in the right place.

[00:32:31] Sandie Morgan: Well, I’m really glad to be on your team, Lavi, and you’re my hero, and I’m going to turn to you with anything I need to learn about trafficking in the South Pacific because you’ve really studied the issues and become a voice, and you are making a difference. You are definitely the right kind of guest for our Ending Human Trafficking podcast.

Thank you so much.

[00:33:04] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Thank you so much, Dr. Morgan. I have to say the same to you. If we did not have you come in with your background, your expertise, your soft and gentle voice, but very strong, then I think it would make this work a little bit more challenging than it is. Before you came, I think everybody was kind of working in their own different areas and not really understanding how much this is actually something that we need to work on together.

And so I am so grateful that you were able to come here and speak to us about this and really open our eyes to what human trafficking is, define it, and then also help us to be able to understand how to move forward in this work. So I appreciate you. I’m grateful that you accepted the call when it came to you, and I think Tonga is blessed to continue working with you, hopefully from now on into the future.

[00:34:14] Sandie Morgan: I look forward to a return trip and more coconut juice, coconut water, and pineapple. Oh my goodness, it’s such a beautiful place, and the people are wonderful and warm, and I look forward to returning. In the meantime, we’ll stay in touch, and I will keep updating our listeners when I hear from you.

So thank you so much, Lavi.

[00:34:47] Lavinia Taumoepeau: Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Morgan. ʻOfa atu, as we would say in Tonga. ʻOfa…

[00:34:53] Elisha: Thank you, Lavinia, for the reminder that good intentions don’t get funded. Trafficking work only sticks once it’s written into an institution’s actual plans and not treated as an afterthought. Listeners, if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure you check out our website at endinghumantrafficking.org for tons of in-depth show notes and other resources.

If you’d love to help us grow this podcast, you can start by sharing this episode with someone and connecting with us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And as always, thank you for listening.